Electro-osmotic process of treating liquid mixture.



B. SCHWERiN. ELECTRO-OSMOTIC PROCESS OF TREATING LIQUID MIXT URES.

APPLICATION man m3. I6. 1915.

Patented July 31, 191?.

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BOTHQ SCHWERIN, F FRANKFORT-GN-THE-TAKN, GERMANY, ASEHfiNUEt T0 ELEKTRO- OSMOSE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (GRA'F SCHNEEEIN GESELLSCHAFT), 6F FEANK- FORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY, A CORPGRATIOH.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

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iiil'l Application filed February 16, 1915. Serial Ho. 5,660.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, BOTHO Sorrwnnm, a subjectof the German Emperor, residing at Frankfort-on-the-lliain, Germany, Wilhelnistr. 3%, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electro- Qsmotic Processes of Treating Liquid Mixtures, of which the following is a specification.

A known method of separating a constituent of a mixture of suspension colloids consists in subjecting the mixture to electro osmosis, whereby the component in question is separated at the pole or at a partition inserted in front thereof.

This method is limited in application. For example, it fails in the presence of an injurious electrolyte which may hinder completely, under some circumstances, the electro-osinotic migration.

'5 he present invention relates to a process which permits quite generally a separation from each other of suspension colloids or emulsion colloids, the so-called true colloids, actuallv dissolved bodies and electrolytically dissociated ions. The process, therefore, rves for separating constituents from mixturcs of bodies falling Within the foregoing category and, indeed, for separating fractionallv several constituents. For instance, the colloids and the dissolved bodies niay he separated individually from a solution containing several colloids.

The invention consists in subjecting the mixture to the action of an electric current in a circuit wherein are interposed one or more diaphragms the potential of whichis so selected, that the constituent or constitucnts which cannot pass the diaphragm or diaphraa ins are separated, while the other constituent or constituents migrate through the diaphragm or diaphragms. i

By arranging several diaphragms of diffcrent char fe capacity one behind the other, any desired separation of the constituents may be accomplished.

in the accompanying drawing,

Figure l is a vertical-wsectional View tl'irough an apparatus adapted to carry out the improved process; I

:2 a similar view of terentform of apparatus.

Referring: to the drawing 1 designates a. SU arable tank or receptacle which in the form a slightly difillustrated in Fig. i compartments by two diaphragms Q, 3, the electrodes i, 5, being arranged in the end compartments thus formed and separated hy the diaphragms from the intermediate compartment.

In the form of apparatus illustrated in Fig. :2, the space between the electrodes is divided into three divided into two chambers or compartments 10, ill, hv means of three diaphrag ns 6, 7, 8.

ihe diaphragms act in several Ways. By means oi indifferent diaphragzns inserted in front oi the poles, the electrolytes he f or the other residue in increased proportion.

phragin the acid, or by means of a mega For instance, means or" a positive diative diaphragm the basic residues may he removed. comparatively more quickly, so that in the mixture the electrolytes which are suitable for the desired separation may be retained in the correct degree of concentration.

It has been shown that the migrating of the colloids is often prevented by the pres ence of unsuitable electrolytes. It will be seen, however, that if by the above mentioned method the electrolyte is completely removed, or at least so far as it affects the migrations, the colloids will begin to migrate at once. Cases may arise in which the mixture is first of all freed from-acid, whereupon the negative colloids begin 'to migrate at once, while the process proceeds the bases are removed from the ture whereby the positive components are also caused to migrate.

The following is an example of Ltheiihssibility of giving to the mixture any-required concentration as regards the electrolyte.

If, as stated above, a parchment-"diet phragrn is placed before the cathode and a diaphragm of morepositive charging cs pecity, for example one of emtuel bladder, before the anode, the mi retiori of the ions,

chamber 9,

the acid ions from the solution will ice ac celereted and the contents oft/lie compartme'nt between the dieplirsgiios remain allieline. -For example, it under these conditioiis :1 dilute common salt solution. is electrolytically treated, the contents of the central compartment (Fig. 1) at once becomes alliit" line.

A further action of the diephrsgms is due to the fact thet they permit fractionation of It has been shown, for example, that ions of the some kind pass through a, diaphragm with greater or. less migration velocity according; to the nature of the die- Pill'ugill. for example, with a viscose phragm ct'tlie anode end parclimerit paper at the cathode, and lactic acid will be fractionated, the sulfuric passing through the viscose diephregmywhile the lactic acid will not be permitted to pass the viscose diaphragm, so test after time the central compartment contains only lactic acid.

FHIl-lXQZEQU-CQ, the die'plircgms cot log: i."e;o.- dering it possible to fractional/e dissolved bodies, s1 o. as sugar, existing in a mixture,

which are neither electrolytes nor colloids end'cennot be separated or removed merely by electrical means; for such oodles migrate together with the Water may be sepe rated from the other constituents sud thus recovered, by igitcrpositiou of suitable displiragms. For exsmplefby using on animal diaphragm at the anode end it viscose diw phragm at the cctliode the dissolved. non saccharine material can be separated from a solution of crude sugar.

. Finally, true colloids may be separated by the invention, since after separation of the unsuitable electrolyte they and ac cording to their-character and their relationship to the diepliragms, in part puss through the letter and pert retained by them. example a glue solution. can

lie fractionated by using an apparatus sucli l i Fig. 2. ln such supple .l 7 adjacent the anode pig bladder or hardened albumen, for elemple, While a viscose die: phlegm 6 positioned adjacent the cathode L and toe space is separated into two compartments a third diaphragm 8 of Woven fabric. With such an apparatus cents tion in the ell-ember 11, While the other chambers c'onloiii water, the action.- of the electric current'results iii fractionatiug the solution. As c result the particles of albumen will collect in the chamber 15 and the color components of the glue in the anode while the gclatose cud glutito the cathode chamber illustrate 5 is of leetlier nous particles pass it mixture of sulfuric acid between said diophragms' ning s glue soluf memes l2 and the pure gelatin remains in the chamber 11.

llflcat ll claim. is:

l. The process of separating the coustit of a liquid mixture which comprises disposing seid mixture between two electrodes so that it is separated therefrom by two osmotic disphregms having didercnt potential. characters dependent upon the constituents to be separated, and passing on electric current from one electrode to the other through said diapliragms and said mixture whereby certain constituents are separated from others.

2. The process of separating the constituents of a liquid mixture Which'comprises disposing said mixture between two clog: trodes so that it's separated from at least one of said electrodes by a plurality of 0s motic diaphragms having different 'poten tial characters dependent upon the constituents to be separated, and passing an electric current from one electrode to the other through said diephrcgms and said mixture whereby e fractional separation 01? the differeut constituents of the mixture is oiiected.

3. The process of separating the constitcents of a liquid mixture WlliC-A comprises said mixture between two elccthat it is separated from one of said electrodes by an osmotic diaphragm end from the other of said electrodes by a plurality of osmotic cliapliregms, all of said diephregms having dillererlt potential choc esters dependent upon the constituents to be separated, and passing on electric current from one electrode to the other through said (liapliregms and said mixture,

The process. of fractionally separating a liquid mixture, comprising passing en. electric current through the nixture While liere is interposed between said mixture and an' electrode a diaphragm having a po tentisl corresponding totlmt of the electrode toward which the particles to lie separated are caused to migrate, which dicphlegm permits certain paid-isles having one kind of charge to tlicrcthrougli more freely than other similarly charged particles.

The process of separating" the colloidal constituents of a colloidal solution containing electrolytes in undesirable proportions which comprises reducing the concentration disposing trodes so Ofllll electrolytes by electro-osmosis to 6. The process of separating" the colloidal inc 1,23550Q3 v p constituents of a colloidalsolutioncontainpendent upon the. constituents to be sepa- 1o ing electrolytes in undesirable proportions rated. 7 p

which comprises reducing the concentration In testimony whereof I afiix my signature of the electrolytes by electro-osmosis to a inpresence'of two witness'es. point Where they will no longer hinder the migration 'of a colloidal constituent, and Q .SCHWERIN' then passing a; current through the so Witnesses: i

treated solutionfand its retaining dia- JEAN GRUND,

phragms Whose potential characters are de- CARL GRUND. 

